Kevin Smith Wants a Cheap Batman Horror Movie

Kevin Smith is a fan of all things comic book related and his passion runs deep. Earlier this week he even offered to let Marvel icon Stan Lee live at his house. Now, he's revealed some ideas for DC Films and Warner Bros. to make a Batman movie like we've never seen. Smith has a few cool twists up his sleeve, and admits that he likes that DC is shying away from the shared universe aspect. But he thinks they can make a cool horror-style version of the character that we've never seen on the big screen for a lot less money.

While speaking on his Fatman on Batman podcast, Kevin Smith first talked about everything that DC Films and Warner Bros. are doing right and what they've done right in the past. The director praises them for the original Superman movie to Tim Burton's Batman and then on to Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. Additionally, he adds that stepping away from the DCEU is the smart decision. However, he also challenges the studio and says that they should be able to do this in their sleep. He explains.

"I would do what (Warner Bros.) are doing right now, which is, let's just start making movies that aren't connected. Don't worry about that universe, don't worry about tying things together. They were masters at this sh*t. They mastered the comic book movie in the '70s with Superman, in the late '80s, early '90s with Batman, they have the f*cking Dark Knight trilogy, they should be able to do this in their f*cking sleep."

Kevin Smith goes on to say that he's interested in the idea of Todd Phillips' Joker origin story and even the idea of Matt Reeves solo Batman movie, mainly that it could take the character back to his detective roots. But, Smith adds that you can do these movies differently and on the cheap, mentioning a cool horror version that sounds like it could be awesome. Smith would use the Arkham Asylum storyline to make the movie. He had this to say.

"The notion of the Todd Phillips Joker movie is kind of interesting to me. Matt Reeves' solo Batman movie is interesting to me. I don't think they should just be making f*cking 200 million-dollar f*cking Batman movies. They don't need to. You can do a f*cking 15 million-dollar cool horror version of that movie, sh*t, for even less. Arkham Asylum, if they were ever gonna do Grant Morrison's Arkham Asylum, takes place in one f*cking location, man. Bunch of spooky rooms with the rogue's gallery. Everybody's f*cking in it."

When it comes down to it, Kevin Smith just wants to see something different for the Batman character. He's right when he talks about the movies raking in the dough at the box office, but Warner Bros. and DC Films need to be able to sell action figures and Happy Meals when they release a new movie. Additionally, they're reportedly trying to distance themselves from the dark elements that Zack Snyder was bringing to the DCEU. Still, Kevin Smith is not alone in wanting a version of Batman that isn't crazy and over the top, but he is a lot more outspoken than most. He says this.

"Unless you don't overpay for talent, which you really don't f*cking need to because a lot of people are in makeup and sh*t like that, you can cast that movie pretty simply and shoot that movie for like 15 million bucks. If a Batman movie can make 800 (million) to a billion (dollars) and it does it on a 200-million-dollar budget, it's just more profit in a 15-million-dollar film and something to talk about because it sounds like it could be an interesting project as well in smaller hands with a tighter vision. Different from, Let's just make it big and over the top! I think they need to pirouette. They need to f*cking pivot and do something different. The rumors are that Reeves is doing the Dark Knight detective, old version of Batman. That might be interesting as opposed to the same f*cking thing that we've seen over and over again."

It seems unlikely that a horror-style version of a Batman movie will be made by Warner Bros. and DC Films, but it's an exciting idea nonetheless. Kevin Smith's passion speaks volumes and it would be really cool to see what he could do with a character that we've seen so much of the same from over the years. Hopefully Matt Reeves delivers on his initial promise of a return to the detective roots of the Dark Knight. You can watch the Fatman on Batman podcast below, courtesy of Kevin Smith's YouTube channel.